EGYPT: Arms & the Man

At an armed-forces exhibition in Cairo, thousands of army officers listened
while Egypt's Premier Gamal Abdel Nasser made a speech. Subject: why
the Egyptian army, which governs the country (TIME, Sept. 26), is too
weak to fight. The step which Nasser announced he had taken toward
remedying this condition drew thunderous applause from his officers,
but last week its implications threatened the Western world with a
dangerous power shift in the critical Middle East.

"Heavy arms," said Nasser, "are controlled by the big powers, and these
agreed to provide Egypt's armed forces with arms, but on certain
conditions." All deals failed....